GNS 530w updates

[JOhnH]

I tried calling Jeppesen but they are closed on Sunday. I searched the POA board and most discussions on this topic that I found are from around 2005.

Is Jeppesson still the whole ball game when it comes to Garmin 530w updates? If there are others, are they as good?

I need to update my new GNS 530w. The subscription package for the Eastern U.S. is $315 and the subscription for the whole US is $385. Living in Florida, I don't make it west of Texas very often. Haven't done it yet and I only plan one trip that far this year. If I buy the 1 yr subscription for the Eastern half of the US, and then sometime during the year I decide I need the Western updates for one trip, will they let me buy a single month update and extend my subscription by one month?

On the Jepp order page, they ask for a Promo code. I searched the package that came with the 530 and didn't see any. How would one come upon a promo code in order to save a few nickels?

Finally, do they have any sort of discounts if I am buying updates for both a Garmin 496 and a Garmin 530w, or is that something completely different?

(XM weather subscription, Sectionals, Charts, AFDs, 496 updates, 530 updates, ForeFlight . . . I may have to revisit my longevity calculations if I am going to continue flying so I don't outlive my retirement savings). Or maybe I can just vote Democrat and let the government take care of me when I get old (er). (oops, sorry about the political spin).

 

[Brad Z]

1) Jepn is still the only game in town
2) what they will do is pro-rate your subscription, so leave it as east only until you need the whole US (or all of the Americas if you are heading south) and they will refund you the prorated amount remainng on your existing subscription. When you're do with the trip, switch back...you'll likely end up with a credit which will be refunded to you or applied to the next subscription. I've done this a few times as I only fly to Canada in the summer and feel no reason to have navdata for the entire north and south America when I only need for a few months in the summer.
3) never seen a promo code...doubt there are any
4) no multi discounts that I am aware of. The only discounts I've seen are fleet discounts for one type of subscription. Just as well, I doubt most people have a subscription for their 496...annual one-time updates seem to be the norm.
5) Foreflight seems to save me money on chart subscriptions.

 

[mantakos]

There are discounts for multiple Garmins, e.g. if you have a dual 430W installation. But note that you buy your 530W update from Jeppesen but your 496 updates from Garmin. I've never heard that there's any discount for purchasing subscriptions for both products.

I think it's pretty common to buy a subscription for the panel-mount, thus ensuring IFR-legality, and updating the hand-held's database less frequently.
-harry

 

[denverpilot]

This thread is a great reminder that my "poor, old" /A equipped airplane doesn't require any database updates.

 

[gprellwitz]

1) ... I doubt most people have a subscription for their 496...annual one-time updates seem to be the norm...

Leslie got an annual subscription for our 496. I'm not sure that she kept it up, though. Annual seems sufficient to me, since it isn't legal IFR.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

This thread is a great reminder that my "poor, old" /A equipped airplane doesn't require any database updates.

Depending on how much you fly, though, it can save money by allowing you to get direct clearances. For you to come visit me, for example, you'd save 26nm by going direct. Yeah, that's only .2 in the airplane, .4 for the round trip - Call it $60 worth of airplane time. 5 or 6 trips a year like that, and the subscription is paid for.

The unit is obviously pricey, but it can literally be a lifesaver and the convenience factor is HUGE.

Now the guys who really have it made are the ones with a 496 and a KNS 80.

 

[denverpilot]

Depending on how much you fly, though, it can save money by allowing you to get direct clearances. For you to come visit me, for example, you'd save 26nm by going direct. Yeah, that's only .2 in the airplane, .4 for the round trip - Call it $60 worth of airplane time. 5 or 6 trips a year like that, and the subscription is paid for.

The unit is obviously pricey, but it can literally be a lifesaver and the convenience factor is HUGE.

Now the guys who really have it made are the ones with a 496 and a KNS 80.

Can go as "direct" as the 496 with Foreflight on the iPad, VFR. I tend to still plan VOR to VOR just 'cause it gives me something to do with all that nice old King stuff in the panel.

As they say, the penalty is that I have to fly more? Oh no!

IFR, well... We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. The "plan" to do a "finish-up" on the Instrument rating hasn't yet materialized due to waiting on seeing what the final bill(s) are on the avionics maintenance, the bladder failure and replacement (that shop is slow to bill) and the Annual currently on-going.

Don't expect the bills to be too shocking, but definitely need the airplane to stay airworthy for a solid 10 days that I can count on to get that scheduled. Then back to hunting for the "right" instructor to do it with. Have good references from three other CFIs and a DE to a local CFII and his partner that specialize in immersion training but they're seemingly super-busy teaching youngsters to fly twins right now.

Would have pushed a little harder to get on their schedule but the AI rolled over dead, and that started this almost three month in-and-out of the shop(s) oddity with the airplane. Haven't quite cracked the trick to getting on their schedule. Probably has something to do with flying THEIR aircraft. Haha. Sigh.

So far nothing big on the Annual. Loose right aileron cable, a couple of loose rivets around the air box, new left brake lining, new taxi light, couple of burnt out interior lights, and a few missing screws. Compressions all above 75, and generally things looking good. Waiting on a good shop that tends to overload their schedule a bit. Hopefully this week. Have a flight scheduled next weekend.

Pretty sure this'll get the airplane "happy" for summer flying season. Then maybe I can get a finish-up going... Getting tired of being grounded.

Two flights the weekend before last and prior to that was late January -- and now waiting again. Ready to get the bird back in the air again. Need to go hammer out this rating!

 

[Lance F]

I have an Eastern only version. The few times I've had to go farther west than that I borrowed/swapped cards from someone who had all North America for the week or so I needed it.